Apparatus for effecting chemical action in gases.



N0. 829,875. PATENTED AUG. 28, 1906.

D. R. LOVEJOY. v APPARATUS FOR EFPBGTING CHEMICAL AGTION IN GASES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 19, 1902. RENEWED JULY 5, 1906.

Z SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 829,875. PATENTED AUG. 28, 1906.

1). R. LOVEJOY. APPARATUS FOR EFFEGTING CHEMICAL ACTION IN GASES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 19, 1902. RENEWED JULY 5, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PATENT nron.

DIMMITT ROSS LOVEJOY, OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW- YORK, ASSIGNOR TOATMOSPHERIC PRODUCTS COMPANY, OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK,

A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 28, 1906.

Application filed July 19, 1902. Renewed July 5, 1906- Serial No.321,829.

combination of two gases is effected by causing their molecules toapproach within chemical acting distance of each other by giving to eachof the gases prior to mixing them an electrostatic charge.

It is well known that certain substances such as platinum sponge,platinized asbestos, &c.are capable of causing combination of gases,which otherwise would not unite, by bringing their molecules withinacting distance of each other. The difficulties of this method are,first, the cost of platinum sponge or platinized asbestos, and, second,thediminution of the action after a time, due to the clogging up of thepores of the sponge or asbestos. In this invention the use of any solidor liquid material for eflecting the required juxtaposition of thegaseous molecules is dispensed with and the molecules are causedtoapproach each other by means of electrostatic attraction. To this endthe two gases to be combined are led into a chamber after conductingthem through passages wherein they are given an electrostatic charge.They may be led through metallic or elec- 'trically-conducting inletsand during their passage through these inlets may be chargedelectrically by contact with the Walls of the passage to a very highelectrical potential, one gas positively and the other gas negatively,or instead of having the walls of the passage form part of thecharging-electrodes the electrodes may be placed within the pas sage sothat the gases will pass in contact therewith. While the electrostaticcharging of the gases may be eifected by simply passing them in contactwith metallic electrodes bearing a very high electrostatic charge, ithas been found best to simultaneously subject the gaseous molecules tothe action of such charged electrodes and-to radiant energy in the formof heat, ultra-violet light, Roentgen rays, radium rays, uranium rays,or other radiant energy adapted to increase the efiect of thecharging-electrodes, or the charging-electrodes themselves may be heatedto redness for a like object. When the charging-electrode is usedwithout the added influence of external source of radiant energy, I havefound that a very high potential is necessary and potential sufficien'tto produce a spark of about one inch through air from a small staticmachine has been found sufficient. I do not make use of a spark,however, as the electrodes are placed farther apart than the slparkingdistance. A greater potential woul probably under such conditions ofoperation produce greater results. When, however, the gases aresubjected to the action of radiant energy from external source, whilereceiving the electrostatic charge a few volts are sufficient. Onentering the chamber the positively-charged molecules of the one gas areattracted to the negatively-charged molecules of the other gas and arethus brought within the'range of chem,- ical attraction and a chemicalcombination is thus effected. By this method gases may be caused tounite even when energy is absorbed b their union, as it is onlynecessary to c arge the two sets of molecules to a sufficiently highpotential with respect to each other to store in them sufficient energyto effect the combination after bringing them into chemical contact.

The invention appears to be applicable not only to the combining ofoxygen and nitrogen, but to the combining of any other gases which arecapable of combination.

In charging the gases separately in this manner there will also occur adissociating eflect in the. molecules of each gas. This will befavorable to the process, as described, as the artly-dissociated gaswill combine more rea ily. -This dissociating effect may also be of usein the production of allotropic forms of elementary gases-for example,ozoneor in the decomposition of compound gases into their elements. i

For the formation of ozone both gases that is to say, the one bearingthe positive f chamber,

ducting gauze E E, having about one hundred meshes to the inch, so as toinsure the thorough contact of the gaseous molecules with theelectrified surfaces. D D are insulating-sheaths to revent loss ofelectricity by leakage, and C 1s the outlet for the resulting products.F is a source of high electrical potential.

Fig. 2 shows a modification of this apparatus in which thecombining-chamber itself is made of conductm material and serves as oneof the electrical y-charged surfaces. One gas enters at B and is chargedby contact with the. inlet-tube of conducting material andgauzediaphragms and also b contact with the walls of the chamber. he othergas enters at B through the conducting-tube and gauze diaphragmssupported on an insulating-sheath, as m Fig. 1, the combined gasespassing outat C, as before. F is again a source of great difference ofelectrical potential. Variations of details of'the conducting-chambersare non-essential and obvious.

In Fig. 3 is shown the form of theapparatus in which the ases aresubjected to the action of charged e ectrodes and of radiant energysimultaneously. Here the charged electrodes. E E are shown inclosed inthe walls of the inlet pipes or chambers B B. The walls of the chamber Bare made of material pervious to Roentgen rays or other diant energy isshown diagrammatically as emanating from a Crookes tube. "It is to be.understood that any other form of radiant energy may be used in themanner shown-such as radium, uranium, ultra-violet, or heat rays.

In Fig. 3" is shown a. modification as a detail view inwhioh the asesare first subjects ed to the influence o radiant ener in. a chamber Bbefore being electrically c arged by the electrodes. The source ofradiant en.- er may be inclosed in the chamber B" or thewalls of thechamber may be of a material permeable to the radiant energy. In thisview the source of radiant energy is diagrammatically indicated at R asuranium or radium. It is understood that any other of e substiamodification in which the use of ultra-violet rays are represented. Itwill be understood that this or'an of the other forms of radiant energymay e used simultaneously with the charging of the gases or aspreliminary step.

In Fig. 4 is shown a form of a paratus employed wherein the charging-eectrodes are ept hot to facilitate charging by sub'ecting the gases toheat radiations. Here t e 'eletrodes E E, of platinum or other wire, areheated to a moderately bright-red heat by current from transformers Y Y,whose pr1- mary and secondary coils are very highly insulated from each.other in order to prevent loss of electrostatic charge through thecircuit communicating with the alternator Z'.

While for the sake of clearness of diagram the heating means areillustrated in this se arate figure, it is obvious-that they may eapplied to any of the forms of the apparatus shown in Figs. 3, 3,-and 3that is to say, the electrodes of Fig. 3 may be heated, as shown in Fig.4, or otherwise, and therefore the electrostatic charging of the gasmaybecarried'on under the combined influence of heat and the other formsof radiant energy mentioned.

The gas may be caused to pass into the chamber A by any suitablemeansas, for instance, by means of an exhaust-fan G. (Shown forconvenience in Figs. 3 and 4.)

In case only one as is to be acted upon-it may be supplied at 0th sidesof the apparatus, the two portions bein then allowed to mix or keptseparate-until ischarged by other means.

While I have 'ven a theory of the operation of the metliod, it will beunderstood that it is only explanatory, and it is immaterial to theprocess by what reasom'n it is explained, provided that the effect 0causing reaction of the ases on one another by the force or effect 0?the electrostatic energy stored in the gases is obtained.

I have found by ex eriment that when approximately equal vo umes ofoxygen and mtrogen are passed through their respective electrodes atordinary temperature and ressure, theelectrodes being of above oneundred-mesh gauze, the result is very good.

IIO

The resulting gases after passing through 7 force employed inthisexperiment was that given by a static machine ca able ofproducing aspark of about one inc in air. Afterward the electrodes were subjectedto the Roentgen rays from an eight-inch Crookes tube set as c ose tothem as possible, (three or four-inches away.) The other conditions werethe same as'in the ex eriment without radiant energy, and in t 'sexperiment I to'said gases'prior to found that the yield of somewhatgreater than ment described above.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new therein, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an apparatus for effecting the combination of gases, thecombination of a suitable reaction chamber or vessel, means for supplying gases thereto and means for impartin entering said vesse oppositepotential,

nitrous oxids was 1n the simple expenelectrostatic charges ofsubstantially as set forth.

2. In an apparatus for effecting the combi nation of gases, thecombination of a suitable reaction chamber or vessel, means forsupplying gases thereto and means for imparting to said gases prior toentering said vessel electrostatic charges of opposite potential,comprising a source of high difference of electric potential and acircuit therefrom including electrodes in the gas-supply to the saidchamber or vessel.

3. In an apparatus for effecting the combination of gases, thecombination of a suitable reaction chamber or vessel, means forsupplying gases thereto and means for imparting to said gases priortoentering said vessel electrostatic charges of opposite potential,

comprising a source of difference .of electric potential and a circuittherefrom including electrodes in the gas-supply to the said cham ber orvessel, and means for heating said electrodes. 4

4. In an apparatus for effecting the combination of gases, thecombination of a suitable reaction chamber or vessel, means forsupplying gases thereto and means for imparting comprising a source ofdifference of electric potential and a circuit therefrom includingelectrodes in the gas-supply to the said chamber or vessel, and meansfor subjecting said gases to the influence of a source'of' radiantenergy.

5. In an apparatus for effecting the combination of gases,thecombination of a suitable reaction chamber or vessel, means forsupplying gases thereto and means for impartin to said gases prior toentering said vesse electrostatic charges of opposite potentialcomprising a source of difference of electric potential and a circuittherefrom including electrodes in the gas-supply to the said chamber orvessel, means for heating said electrodes, and means for subjecting saidgases to the influence of a source of radiant ener y.

6. In an apparatus for effectfiig the comIflnation of gases, thecombination of a reaction chamber or vessel, passages for leadingstreams of gas severally thereto, electrodes in said passages and meansfor giving to said electrodes electrostatic charges of differentpotential.

7. The combination with the receiver having an outlet and two inletpassages, of permeable conductors located in the respectiveinlet-passages, and energy having opposite poles connected to therespective conductors aforesaid.

DIMMITT ROSS LOVEJOY.

a source of electrostatic.

